SayPro: 100 Business Models for Informal Economy Development

SayPro Monthly March SCDR-2 Economic Grants
Managed by SayPro Development Strategic Partnerships Office under SayPro Development Royalty

1. Street Food Vendor Model

Operate a mobile or fixed-location food stand offering affordable, popular local dishes with efficient supply chain management.

2. Mobile Phone Repair Service

Provide on-the-spot or home-visit mobile phone repairs and accessory sales, leveraging basic technical skills.

3. Small-Scale Tailoring and Alteration Shop

Offer tailoring, mending, and alteration services catering to local community needs.

4. Bicycle Taxi (Boda-Boda) Service

Provide affordable local transportation via bicycle taxis, focusing on safety and reliability.

5. Local Market Trading

Buy and sell staple goods, fruits, vegetables, or household items sourced from local farmers or wholesalers.

6. Handcrafted Goods Sales

Produce and sell handmade crafts such as jewelry, textiles, or woodwork at markets or through consignment.

7. Waste Collection and Recycling Service

Collect recyclable materials from households and businesses for sale to recycling firms or upcycled products.

8. Community Water Delivery Business

Deliver clean water to households in areas without piped water infrastructure using cost-effective logistics.

9. Informal Daycare Service

Provide affordable childcare services for working parents within the community.

10. Mobile Barber and Beauty Services

Offer haircuts and grooming services via mobile units or home visits to reach more clients.

11. Household Cleaning and Laundry Service

Manage doorstep laundry pickup, washing, and delivery services or home cleaning services.

12. Urban Farming and Micro-Gardening

Grow vegetables and herbs in small urban spaces to supply local markets or restaurants.

13. Local Delivery and Courier Service

Provide affordable package and document delivery within the community using bicycles or motorcycles.

14. Small Appliance Repair Service

Repair common household appliances like radios, fans, and small electronics.

15. Informal Construction Labor and Masonry

Provide skilled or unskilled labor for local construction and home repairs on a project or daily wage basis.

16. Mobile Money Agent / Financial Services

Serve as a local agent for mobile money deposits, withdrawals, and bill payments.

17. Recycling and Upcycling Crafts Business

Transform plastic waste and scrap materials into marketable crafts and household items.

18. Traditional Herbal Medicine Sales

Harvest and sell local medicinal plants or prepare herbal remedies for common ailments.

19. Informal Taxi Service Using Private Vehicles

Provide rideshare or taxi services without formal licensing, serving underserved routes.

20. Tailored Clothing and Uniform Production

Produce school uniforms or corporate clothing on-demand for local institutions.

21. Food Delivery Service

Partner with local eateries to deliver meals within neighborhoods on a commission or fixed fee basis.

22. Mobile Phone Charging Stations

Operate charging kiosks for mobile phones in areas with irregular electricity supply.

23. Informal IT Support and Training

Offer basic computer repair, software installation, and digital literacy coaching.

24. Street Market Stall Leasing and Management

Rent small stalls or kiosks to local vendors, managing the day-to-day operations and maintenance.

25. Small-Scale Fish Smoking and Processing

Process and preserve fish using traditional smoking methods for local sale.

26. Informal Car Wash Business

Operate low-cost mobile or fixed car wash services in busy community areas.

27. Food Preservation and Packaging

Offer services to preserve fruits and vegetables through drying or canning for resale.

28. Local Handyman Services

Provide plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and minor home repair services.

29. Informal Tailoring School

Train community members in tailoring and garment production skills through apprenticeship.

30. Mobile Shoe Repair and Cleaning

Offer shoe repair and cleaning services at client homes or popular market areas.

31. Local Event Planning and Decoration

Manage small-scale event organization and decoration services for weddings and community gatherings.

32. Bulk Purchase and Wholesale Resale

Organize bulk purchases from wholesalers to supply small vendors at competitive prices.

33. Informal Courier for Agricultural Inputs

Deliver seeds, fertilizers, and tools to farmers in remote areas on demand.

34. Urban Waste Composting and Fertilizer Sales

Collect organic waste for composting and sell as natural fertilizer to urban gardeners.

35. Informal Bakery Production

Produce and sell baked goods such as bread, pastries, and snacks from home or street stalls.

36. Community Transport Cooperatives

Form informal groups to provide shared transport services at affordable rates.

37. Tailored Business Coaching Services

Offer basic business management advice and coaching for informal entrepreneurs.

38. Mobile Phone Accessory Sales

Sell affordable phone cases, chargers, and earphones in local markets or on streets.

39. Informal Market Research Services

Conduct local market surveys and customer feedback collection for small businesses.

40. Waste-to-Energy Micro Projects

Operate small-scale projects converting organic waste to biogas for local cooking needs.

41. Informal Textile Dyeing and Printing

Provide fabric dyeing and printing services for local artisans and tailors.

42. Informal Food Catering Services

Prepare and deliver meals for local businesses, schools, or events.

43. Local Tourism Guide Services

Offer personalized tours highlighting local culture and attractions to visitors.

44. Informal Mobile Health Services

Provide basic health consultations, first aid, or health education in underserved areas.

45. Informal Data Entry and Virtual Assistance

Offer remote administrative support to small businesses using personal devices.

46. Bicycle and Motorcycle Rental Services

Rent out bicycles or motorbikes for daily use within the community.

47. Informal Micro-Lending Circles

Organize rotating savings and credit associations to provide microloans to community members.

48. Street Vending of Household Necessities

Sell daily essentials such as soap, cooking oil, and detergent in local neighborhoods.

49. Small-Scale Ice Production and Sales

Produce and sell ice cubes for local businesses and households.

50. Informal Recycling Collection Points

Establish local collection points where people can drop recyclables for sale.

51. Community Radio Station for Local Business Promotion

Operate a small radio station to advertise and promote local products and services.

52. Informal Childcare Cooperative

Create a shared childcare service operated by community members.

53. Informal Tailoring and Fashion Design Studios

Design and produce custom clothing and accessories for local clients.

54. Informal Agricultural Extension Services

Provide farming advice, pest control solutions, and seed distribution.

55. Small-Scale Soap and Detergent Making

Produce and market affordable cleaning products for household use.

56. Informal Barber and Beauty Salons

Operate salons with minimal infrastructure serving community clients.

57. Informal Bicycle Repair Workshops

Fix and maintain bicycles with low-cost parts and skilled labor.

58. Mobile Water Purification Kiosks

Offer clean water to households using portable filtration units.

59. Informal Textile Recycling and Upcycling

Collect used clothing to upcycle into new fashion or home decor products.

60. Informal Printing and Copying Services

Operate small print shops for flyers, posters, and document copying.

61. Informal Photocopying and Stationery Sales

Sell school supplies and offer photocopying in local hubs.

62. Small-Scale Local Brewery

Produce traditional brews for local consumption.

63. Informal Tailoring and Embroidery Services

Offer decorative tailoring services for special events.

64. Informal Poultry Feed Production

Produce and sell affordable poultry feed to local farmers.

65. Informal Food Packaging and Delivery

Provide packaging solutions and last-mile delivery for food vendors.

66. Informal Bicycle Taxi Fleet Management

Coordinate and manage groups of bicycle taxis for efficiency.

67. Informal Waste Sorting and Sale of Materials

Sort collected waste and sell to recycling firms.

68. Informal Repair of Household Furniture

Fix and refurbish chairs, tables, and cabinets.

69. Informal Street Photography Services

Offer portrait and event photography using mobile phones or cameras.

70. Informal Fruit and Vegetable Stall Operations

Run roadside or market stalls selling fresh produce.

71. Informal Mobile Juice Bars

Operate mobile stands selling fresh fruit juices.

72. Informal Community Lending Libraries

Establish book lending services with small fees.

73. Informal Local Courier Services

Deliver letters and parcels within communities.

74. Informal Secondhand Goods Trading

Buy and sell used clothes, shoes, and household items.

75. Informal Local Transport Ticket Sales

Sell bus or ferry tickets as a local agent.

76. Informal Mobile Food Catering

Provide food catering for community events.

77. Informal Agricultural Produce Aggregation

Collect crops from farmers and sell in bulk.

78. Informal Street Performance and Entertainment

Perform music

, dance, or magic shows for tips.

79. Informal Sewing Machine Rental Services

Rent sewing machines to home tailors.

80. Informal Water Tanker Rental Services

Rent small water tankers for water delivery.

81. Informal Handmade Soap Sales

Produce soap using local natural ingredients.

82. Informal Local Courier Delivery

Deliver parcels between neighborhoods.

83. Informal Solar Lamp Sales and Rentals

Provide solar lamps to households.

84. Informal Local Food Ingredient Supply

Supply spices, flour, and sugar to local vendors.

85. Informal Bicycle Sharing Systems

Operate community bike-sharing programs.

86. Informal Community Tool Libraries

Lend construction and gardening tools.

87. Informal Food Stall Franchising

Replicate successful food stall models.

88. Informal Local Transport Coordination

Organize shared rides for commuters.

89. Informal Used Electronics Sales and Repair

Sell and fix used electronic gadgets.

90. Informal Mobile Payment Collection Agents

Collect payments for utilities.

91. Informal Local Courier Service Using Drones (Pilot)

Explore drone deliveries in rural areas.

92. Informal Community Waste Management Groups

Organize neighborhood cleaning and waste disposal.

93. Informal Small-Scale Event Catering

Cater small-scale parties and meetings.

94. Informal Mobile Phone Sales

Sell affordable phones from kiosks.

95. Informal Handmade Jewelry Sales

Produce and market jewelry.

96. Informal Local Grocery Store Management

Run small convenience shops.

97. Informal Bicycle Spare Parts Sales

Sell parts for bike repairs.

98. Informal Community Health Awareness Campaigns

Educate on hygiene and wellness.

99. Informal Fruit Juice and Snack Cart

Operate mobile snack carts.

100. Informal Tailoring and Fashion Accessory Rentals

Rent dresses and accessories for special occasions.

Summary

These 100 business models are designed for flexibility and local adaptability in informal economy settings. SayPro funding can empower community entrepreneurs by providing seed capital, training, and support to scale these models, driving economic inclusion and poverty reduction.